It All Starts With a Song...

Throughout these past few months, the band and I have been hard at work in the practice studio putting together some new music and a great new show we can’t wait to share with you. I’ve started to realize during this time that much of my identity as a musician really stems from my passion for songwriting. I’ve always thought of myself as a songwriter first, a musician second, and a singer last. And while songwriting can oftentimes be a very personal experience, nothing beats taking a much-needed getaway and being creative with a group of talented people.

At the end of October 2016, I attended the “It All Starts With a Song” Songwriting Retreat in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It was five days, 22 songwriters, and a whole lot of fun! We were all sequestered in a Smoky Mountain cabin, taking classes, writing songs, and performing for the group. The opportunity to work with such talented songwriters was exciting on its own, but what I learned about myself is really what sticks out in my mind.

Up until that point, I had never given much thought to co-writing songs, or writing for the sake of writing. I always tried to write songs with the intention of performing them. I’d ask myself, “Would this work for me onstage?” instead of just taking in the moment, and letting myself create. The retreat completely changed my perspective on things. I had such a great time working with other people, creating songs and being in the moment.

Since then, I’ve been quite busy with my music, preparing to unveil some exciting releases. But it didn’t take long for me to take matters into my own hands and organize my own songwriters’ retreat. In February, I contacted several of the same talented folks I got to know in Pigeon Forge, and let them know I was coming back in Nashville on a writing trip. I invited each of them to join me, and every one of them said yes.

I rented a small house in Nashville, and spent the week writing music, singing, talking, and relaxing. Some days, we wrote from 10am-6pm, while other days, we were finished by mid-morning. It was a really fun process that yielded some pretty cool results. One song, in particular, took me completely out of my comfort zone: I co-wrote a song about addiction, but from the addiction’s point of view. Over the course of the week, I was part of five separate co-writing sessions with a total of six different writers, and from those sessions, I left with six new songs! Pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

Lately, I find that I’m constantly trying to learn about how to better myself as a musician, singer, and of course, a songwriter. And I really can’t wait to show off what we’ve been working on.